EU Council Adopts Conclusions on Countering Hybrid Threats

EU Council Sanctions Press Releases

Published March 16th, 2026

Detected March 17th, 2026

Summary

The Council of the EU has adopted conclusions on advancing the EU's capacity to counter hybrid threats, reaffirming its commitment to use all available tools to prevent, deter, and respond to hybrid campaigns. The conclusions specifically condemn Russia's persistent hybrid activities and outline a strategic approach to counter these threats.

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What changed

The Council of the EU has adopted conclusions aimed at strengthening the Union's capacity to counter hybrid threats, regardless of their origin. These conclusions condemn persistent hybrid activities by state and non-state actors, including sabotage, malicious cyber activities, foreign information manipulation, and election interference. Notably, the Council strongly condemns Russia and its proxies for their ongoing hybrid campaigns and reaffirms the EU's determination to use its hybrid toolbox, cyber diplomacy toolbox, and other instruments, including restrictive measures, to increase the cost of such activities against the EU.

While these conclusions do not impose immediate new legal obligations or specific compliance deadlines on regulated entities, they signal a reinforced strategic approach by the EU to identify, deter, and respond to hybrid threats. Compliance officers should be aware of the EU's commitment to utilizing legislative measures and restrictive actions, which may lead to future regulatory developments or targeted sanctions. The emphasis on protecting critical infrastructure and democratic processes suggests increased scrutiny in these areas.

What to do next

Review the EU's hybrid toolbox and cyber diplomacy toolbox for potential implications on organizational security and information integrity.
Assess current organizational resilience against hybrid threats, including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and interference with democratic processes.
Stay informed about potential future legislative measures or restrictive actions stemming from the EU's reinforced strategic approach to countering hybrid threats.

Penalties

The conclusions mention increasing the cost of hybrid activity against the EU for those responsible and the potential use of restrictive measures, implying potential penalties or sanctions for identified actors.

Source document (simplified)

Council of the EU
Press release
16 March 2026 11:50

Council adopts conclusions on advancing the EU’s capacity to counter hybrid threats

The Council today approved conclusions on advancing the EU’s capacity to counter hybrid threats, reaffirming the EU’s determination to use all available tools to prevent, deter and respond to hybrid campaigns targeting the Union, its member states, and its partners irrespective of their origin, scale and intensity.

In the conclusions, the Council condemns persistent hybrid activities by state and non-state actors aimed at undermining the security and stability of the EU, its member states and its partners. In this regard, it strongly denounces sabotage, including against critical infrastructure, malicious cyber activities, foreign information manipulation and interference, election interference, and the instrumentalisation of migration.

The Council strongly condemns Russia and its proxies for their persistent, coordinated and long-standing hybrid campaigns at the EU, its member states and its partners, as well as undermining support for Ukraine and its ability to defend itself, and will continue to act with determination through a strategic approach to counter Russia’s hybrid threats.

Hybrid threats are increasingly used to test our resilience and undermine our democratic institutions. With these conclusions, the EU sends a clear message: we will act together to further strengthen our preparedness, protect our societies and respond firmly to those who seek to destabilise us.

Constantinos Kombos, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus
The Council reaffirms its determination to use all available tools - the EU hybrid toolbox, the cyber diplomacy toolbox and other instruments at the EU’s disposal, ranging from legislation to restrictive measures, and calls for their further implementation, strengthening and development to prevent, deter and respond to hybrid threats. This includes increasing the cost of hybrid activity against the EU for those responsible, protection of critical infrastructure, defending democratic processes and institutions, countering election interference, cooperation with international organisations and likeminded partners, and with the private sector, academia and civil society. The Council also reiterates the need to support partners affected by hybrid threats, particularly candidate and potential candidate countries.

Background

Hybrid threats usually refer to coordinated harmful activities that are planned and carried out with malign intent. They aim to undermine a target, such as a state or an institution, through a variety and often a combination of means. They are designed in a way that makes detecting and defending against them difficult and devised to remain below the threshold which could constitute or be perceived as an act of war. These may include but are not limited to information manipulation and interference, cyberattacks, economic coercion, coercive diplomacy, threats of military force.

Both state and non-state actors are deploying ever more complex and sophisticated hybrid tactics. They are not only a security risk, but also pose a threat to democracy, targeting its core values and aiming at fracturing society and undermining political decision-making.

Following the adoption of the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence in March 2022, the EU established an EU hybrid toolbox. The toolbox comprises the preventive, cooperative, stability-building, restrictive and support measures as set out in the June 2022 Council conclusions on a framework for a coordinated EU response to hybrid campaigns.

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